MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Record applicants for 38 jobs in BAS research stations

The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has offered some 38 jobs in five of its research stations on the world's coldest continent, Antarctica. The BAS advertisement invites plumbers, carpenters, electricians and chefs to fill its vacant spots for a period of 4 to 18 months, MailOnline reported.

Selected candidates will receive starting salaries of £23,000 a year with free travel expenses, food, accommodation and winter clothing. BAS received scores of applications after the appeal was featured on GMTV and BBC Breakfast. Last year, it received 100 applications for each post and officials believe the competition will be intense this year because of the rise in unemployment in the UK. "We are expecting quite a few more applicants than usual because of the recession," said BAS spokeswoman, Audrey Stevens. Most of the jobs are for positions on Adelaide Island, and the Brunt Ice Shelf in the Weddell Sea. Although there is no TV at the stations, libraries, telephone and the internet are available and workers can ski and snowboard in their free time. Temperatures in the region regularly drop to as low -50C. The average summer temperature is -27.5C, but it may reach as low as -89C. The world's southernmost continent, Antarctica is located south of the Antarctic Circle and is about 1.3 times as large as Europe.